Study Commentaries

Like Jack Kerouac’s intrepid little sister, Ariel Gore spins the spirited story of a vulnerable drifter who takes refuge in fate and the shadowy recesses of a string of glittering, broken relationships. With just a few pennies and her I Ching, a change of clothes and a one-way ticket to Hong Kong, a perceptive, searching 16-year-old Gore makes her way from the sterile suffocation of the Silicon Valley through the labyrinthine customs of Cold-War China, wanders through bustling, electric Kathmandu, and hunkers down in an icy London squat with a prostitute and a boyfriend on the dole.

Spanning 15 years of travel, beginning when she is a sophomore in college, Wanderlust documents Elisabeth Eaves’ insatiable hunger for the rush of the unfamiliar and the experience of encountering new people and cultures. Young and independent, she crisscrosses five continents and chases the exotic, both in culture and in romance.

Freedom is a central theme in our world. It’s become a rallying cry for people, groups, even entire nations. But freedom without boundaries can be costly. Based on the book of Exodus, this study offers an eye-opening look at the pitfalls of deliverance without discipline, and shares the freedom found through a loving submission to God and His will for us.

There is a deep connection between obedience to God and experiencing life as He intended. But godly living only happens when we’re equipped with His word. The book of Deuteronomy holds insights into this truth, and a parallel for believers today. As the Israelites prepared to live in a culture with radically different values, Moses shared both the pitfalls of disobedience, and the power found in following God. This study examines Moses’ remarkable thoughts on personal obedience, and explores how we can equip ourselves to experience God’s best in our lives.

This edition combines texts of English County Guides, published by Cv Publications between 1999 and 2011. In Volume One, the title includes Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Norfolk, Cumbria, and Wiltshire. Volume Two in February 2020 publishes Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Buckinghamshire. The guide documents towns and villages, properties, natural settings, with additional notes of local activities and communication links.

It can seem as though today's culture encourages weakness, not strength. And this attitude has crept into the church: Don't take a strong position of faith. Don't take a strong view of evangelism. Don't maintain strong moral values. Yet God's people are called to be soldiers, and to fight for His cause and kingdom. Based on the book of Joshua, Be Strong is an inspiring guide to pursuing a victorious life. Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's best-selling "BE" commentary series, Be Strong has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh.

Der Held muss in die weite Welt hinaus und Abenteuer erleben, um ein Held zu werden – und eine Geschichte zu haben. Und was ist mit der Heldin? Doris Dörrie erzählt von drei Reisen – nach San Francisco, nach Japan und nach Marokko – und davon, als Frau in der Welt unterwegs zu sein. Sich dem Ungewissen, Fremden auszusetzen heißt immer auch, den eigenen Ängsten, Abhängigkeiten, Verlusten ins Auge zu sehen. Und dabei zur Heldin der eigenen Geschichte zu werden.

Our God longs to restore that which is broken. Fractured relationships. Hurting families. Divided churches. No situation is beyond His grace. And most miraculous of all? He chooses to use broken people to heal broken situations. The book of 2 Samuel is a remarkable testimony to this truth. Here we find King David, a godly man reeling from tragic choices, struggling to unify a nation torn apart by civil war. This study looks at God’s passion for restoring lives, relationships and His church, by working through those who are simply available to Him.

If you love Jesus but are unhappy, disappointed, frustrated, disillusioned, or just plain burned-out with church or religion, I have good news for you. There is a problem with church, but it’s neither your fault nor God’s fault and you’re not required to “try harder” to fix it. Furthermore, you’re not alone. More and more evangelical Christians sense that church and religion are somehow at odds with a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. God has already given us the “way of escape.” His answer has always been hiding in plain sight in the New Testament.

Ever wonder why much of American Christianity is pro-spanking, pro-tough-on-crime, anti-gun control, pro-war, and hell-affirming, even though Jesus taught mercy, non-violence and enemy love? When Michael Camp started deconstructing his evangelical faith, he noticed a pattern. The doctrines he questioned—original depravity, substitutionary atonement, God-ordained genocide in the Old Testament, the doctrine of hell, etc.—were all tied to retribution and violence.

It’s hard today to remember how recently cancer was a silent killer, a dreaded disease about which people rarely spoke in public. In hospitals and doctors’ offices, conversations about malignancy were hushed and hope was limited. In this deeply researched book, Elaine Schattner reveals a sea change—from before 1900 to the present day—in how ordinary people talk about cancer. From Whispers to Shouts examines public perception of cancer through stories in newspapers and magazines, social media, and popular culture.

When British-born Elizabeth Blackwell earned her medical degree in America in 1849, there was an international outcry. Few at the time would have disagreed with the actress Fanny Kemble's remark - "What, trust a woman doctor - never!"

C'è un'ansia di cambiamento nel mondo. Papa Francesco la raccoglie nei suoi gesti e nelle sue parole, specialmente in un tempo di crisi quale quello che stiamo vivendo. È chiaro che abbiamo tutti bisogno di capire che cosa ci sta accadendo, di dare una lettura umana e spirituale di quel che viviamo. Francesco, come si comprende in questo volume, assimila la visionedi sant'Ignazio di Loyola così come emerge negli Esercizi Spirituali.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Warren W. Wiersbe tackles this question as he explores the life of Job in his commentary Be Patient. Through Job's story, we are reminded of God's sovereignty and encouraged to endure the suffering in our own lives.

The birth of Christ is possibly one of the most controversial stories among believers. Was Mary really a virgin when she got pregnant or was Joseph the father? Did Christ fit the signs of the Messiah in the Old Testament or should we be looking for another? Only two of the four synoptic gospels go in depth about the birth and early years of Christ. As we go through the books of Matthew and Luke, we begin to get a clearer picture of the first twelve years of the life of Christ. Understanding those early years are vital when it comes to knowing who it is we believe in and why.

With this collection of essays on the life of faith, Fred Smith tells the truth in a way that does not blind but simply turns the prism a degree or two for seeing differently. He "tells it slant" as Emily Dickinson called it. Fred's themes range from finding significance to navigating life transitions to living a life of obedience. Fred writes that this book is not about my life but seeing the world for a time through my eyes. It is about the prism through which the light divides. A point of view.

Words To Think About is a collection of Biblical Essays that was written for The Southern Reporter. The response Ray received for these essays lead him to create this amazing book. It is a compilation of various Bible messages, using particular verses, analyzed as condensed thoughts. If you have not already done so, hopefully this book will help you to see, to better understand, to know the truth and seek your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you!

Prostitution, incest, drunkenness at the Lord's table, sectarianism, and babble all were problems in Paul's rag-tag startup church in Corinth. Paul's letter was a course-correction for many in the church, bringing people back to the Gospel as the basis for right unity, sexual ethics, observation of the sacraments, and worship.

"Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion." Through clever word pictures like this, best-selling author and former pastor Warren Wiersbe preaches the same message Peter preached so long ago. Turning each enlightening page, believers gain increasing confidence in true Hope, a God in whom they don't just wish for eternal life. In Scripture, hope means the promise of salvation for those who have accepted Him and His Son's death and resurrection.

Romans is more than a collection of proof texts for Reformed theology. It is an exposition of God's plan to take back the world. In this new commentary, Douglas Wilson tackles Paul's meaty letter passage by passage, explaining Paul's central message: Jesus’s death and resurrection have transformed the world. God has brought an end to the old covenant and ushered in a new covenant, joining Jews and Gentiles in one new people.